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The Crossroads (72 & Dodge)

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:11 am
by Big E
University Village at Crossroads - Redevelopment Plan

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110127/M ... crossroads
www.omaha.com wrote:Crossroads Mall would become a mixed-use development with stores, restaurants and apartments targeting college students under plans revealed this week by its owner and developer.

Frank Krejci of Omaha, who bought the struggling shopping center for $9.5 million last June, and his Arizona-based partner said the 50-year-old enclosed mall would be renamed University Village at Crossroads.

It would retain its anchor stores but undergo a multimillion-dollar renovation.

“It's not going to be a small deal. It's going to be huge,” Krejci said.

Re: The Crossroads (72 & Dodge)

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:20 am
by Brad
Sounds like an Aggressive Plan....
www.omaha.com wrote:Krejci and Yates intend to build apartments for students atop the former Dillard's building.
It would be really cool to see it happen.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:22 am
by S33
Something tells me Sears won't quite make it in "University Village." Nice to see a plan, finally.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:23 am
by Brad
S33 wrote:Something tells me Sears won't quite make it in "University Village." Nice to see a plan, finally.
They are only like 60 years in to a 100 year lease and they only pay a few pennies a month rent and they rent can not be raised until the end of the 100 year lease!  That's why they have never done squat to that location.

temp

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:24 am
by cdub
Not a bad plan, although the one shown has already changed somewhat.  I'm just not sure that more retail, without a roof this time will work well either.  On the other hand, the shiny drawings have generated them interest from some new potential tenants so thats what really matters I suppose.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:42 am
by Greg S
When it says apartments atop the Dillard's building does that mean on the existing upper couple floors or actually building on top of the 3rd floor?

This looks interesting.  We'll have to see if it has legs or eventually goes into the projects never built forum.

Greg

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 9:03 am
by iamjacobm
Sounds interesting.  It will be nice to see some renderings soon b/c I am having kind of a hard time picturing what it could look like.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 9:33 am
by GetUrban
Great to hear something is going to happen at this prime location. I hope they don't overestimate the demand for their new primary focus on students. That has been Aksarben Villige's primary focus, although we're seeing other mixed-uses come in like BCBC, DLR, etc.

I'll bet they end up expanding their focus to a larger audience....Sears will still fit-in...although I hope they do some updating on their building....the 1950's-60's look is kind of popular again though.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:27 am
by Omababe
GetUrban wrote:I'll bet they end up expanding their focus to a larger audience....Sears will still fit-in...
Although they're not currently very trendy, Sears (or as they say in Boston, "Siz") is still a good general merchant for housewares, domestics, and such. Contemporary fashion is really not their forte, I admit, and I'm sure they do too. :)
the 1950's-60's look is kind of popular again though.
60s retro is way cool! Crossroads doesn't really have that "googie" look to it, though, although I'm sure it's of that era.

I haven't been to the Sears at Crossroads in years, but I do end up at the one at Oakroads occasionally.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:44 am
by nebport5
Greg S wrote:When it says apartments atop the Dillard's building does that mean on the existing upper couple floors or actually building on top of the 3rd floor?Greg

That does seem to be how it reads.  The article also states the developer's desire to find another tenant for the Dillard's space.  It would be a interesting view atop the current building. I'm sure most of us are thinking Nordstroms or something, but wouldn't surprise me if Dillard's came back either.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:49 am
by iamjacobm
This has the same developer as the proposed expanded Nebraska Crossing that may have a tough time now after Southport has been announced.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:08 am
by GetUrban
Omababe wrote:
GetUrban wrote:I'll bet they end up expanding their focus to a larger audience....Sears will still fit-in...
Although they're not currently very trendy, Sears (or as they say in Boston, "Siz") is still a good general merchant for housewares, domestics, and such. Contemporary fashion is really not their forte, I admit, and I'm sure they do too. :)
the 1950's-60's look is kind of popular again though.
60s retro is way cool! Crossroads doesn't really have that "googie" look to it, though, although I'm sure it's of that era.

I haven't been to the Sears at Crossroads in years, but I do end up at the one at Oakroads occasionally.
They should have just left it like this....

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Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:11 am
by almighty_tuna
Greg S wrote:When it says apartments atop the Dillard's building does that mean on the existing upper couple floors or actually building on top of the 3rd floor
"Yeah, do you want to come over?  We're watching the Super Bowl tonight."
"Yeah, 72nd & Dodge"
"No, Dillards.  I sleep where housewares used to be."

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 12:45 pm
by OmahaJaysCU
For some reason, I have a feeling Krejci was somewhat forced into announcing this given the Outlets at Southport being announced this week.  I would be quite the coincidence to have an announcement of 2 major retail projects int he area in the same week in the current economy.

Regardless, this is super exciting.  I couldn't believe it when I read it this morning.  We've been waiting for something like this for years.  I hope that "housing" plays a larger role than just a few extra floors on top of the old Dillards.  I would like to see something similar to Bayshore Mall in Milwaukee.  It was a "dead" mall just like Crossroads and was turned into a fantastic, mixed use, Town Center.

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Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:28 pm
by MrPoloShirt
Omababe wrote: 60s retro is way cool! Crossroads doesn't really have that "googie" look to it, though, although I'm sure it's of that era.
The 1960s was a disease in terms of architecture, 99% of the population agrees with this.  Looking at the retro photo of  Crossroads makes me sick to my stomach.

Architects of the 60s and 70s have cost our society more money than architects of any other past era because of their sickening designs we've had to either raze or remodel.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:02 pm
by Omababe
MrPoloShirt wrote:
Omababe wrote: 60s retro is way cool! Crossroads doesn't really have that "googie" look to it, though, although I'm sure it's of that era.
The 1960s was a disease in terms of architecture, 99% of the population agrees with this.  Looking at the retro photo of  Crossroads makes me sick to my stomach.
Crossroads really isn't (wasn't) the Googie style which I like. The best example of that which I can think of in the area is that motel at 60th. and L. The genre was far more popular in California, New Jersey, and Long Island.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 5:46 pm
by Garrett
Finally! Something for us to talk about hahaha.

Anyway, I think this is basically saying forget Nebraska Crossing. Although I think this is far better than what Nebraska Crossing would have been. It looks sweet.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 6:15 pm
by nativeomahan
I hope something comes of this announcement.  Incorporating housing into this is essential, in my opinion.  That should have been done at Village Pointe and Shadow Lake.  I hope the south parking lots can be developed into housing, or an extension of the center.  Perhaps another garage could be built on the perimeter.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 6:25 pm
by Brad
nativeomahan wrote:I hope something comes of this announcement.  Incorporating housing into this is essential, in my opinion.  That should have been done at Village Pointe and Shadow Lake.  I hope the south parking lots can be developed into housing, or an extension of the center.  Perhaps another garage could be built on the perimeter.
Lets make one thing perfectly clear.  Target owns the entire lot in front of their building.  NOTHING will change in that lot.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:15 pm
by StreetsOfOmaha
Until they sell it to a developer...

And why wouldn't they? The under-used parking garage, which is being kept, is right behind Target!

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 5:50 am
by Bosco55David
Extremely excited about this project. I'll be a bit sad to see the actuall mall call for purely nostalgic reasons, but such is life.

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:13 pm
by joeglow
StreetsOfOmaha wrote: I'm not discounting your experience with Target in the real world. I'm just saying that, based on all the expert analyses on the subject I've ever been exposed to, Target will most definitely end up tweaking their parking model to respond to these demands and realities, and in deed to remain competitive in the marketplace. And I'm talking nationally/internationally, not just in Omaha.
I think it is up for debate (which has been done ad nauseaum here).  However, even if this is true, we are a long ways off from that.  Assuming Target adapts to this, they will wait until their existing structure is in need of repairs (i.e. they will wait until they need to redo their parking lot instead of ripping up a perfectly good lot to be ready for this cultural shift coming in 20 years).

Now, many of us said it was a mistake for the development of the area to even let Target into this location (there was no way Target had any hope of saving the mall and I don't think they gave one |expletive| less about that).  However, what is done is done.

I am still excited about this development that is a LOOOOOOOOONG time coming.  However, I am even more excited about this hopefully leading to further development around it.   Dodge looks like |expletive| from 68th to 90th and 72nd looks like |expletive| from Pacific to Cass.

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:48 pm
by OmahaJaysCU
StreetsOfOmaha wrote: And why wouldn't they? The under-used parking garage, which is being kept, is right behind Target!
If you put a big building infront of it, you can't see that a Target is there from the 2nd busiest intersection in the state.  From Target's perspective it makes 0 sense.

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:51 pm
by OmahaJaysCU
joeglow wrote:
StreetsOfOmaha wrote: However, I am even more excited about this hopefully leading to further development around it.   Dodge looks like |expletive| from 68th to 90th and 72nd looks like |expletive| from Pacific to Cass.
Ditto.  It's really amazing how much the Children's Hospital expansion and the renovated Beverly Hills Plaza changed that stretch of Dodge.  This is just another piece of the puzzle!

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:38 pm
by omaja
This certainly sounds very promising.  From the looks of the drawing, it seems pretty similar to SLC's Gateway District (even down to the diagonal cutting through the center of it).  And I hope for Omaha's sake, it does turn out to resemble Gateway more than another sad excuse like Village Pointe.  And a transit hub there would be excellent as well.

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(Sorry for the large size... is there any way to resize it/have a preview?)
StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Also, for the record, I think the name - University Village at Crossroads - is a really bad decision. Perhaps if UNO had been involved, somebody would have mentioned that there is already a residence center on UNO's campus called "University Village." Seeing as how this is the demographic they are trying to directly appeal to, why would they want to create confusion?
I agree.  The whole notion of renaming Crossroads (which is a perfect name for an area literally in the middle of town) to somehow reflect the influence of 26,000 university students within a six-mile radius is ridiculous.  For one, 26,000 within six miles is not a very significant number.  Secondly, that is not the demographic that will be willing to shell out the rent or have access to the disposable income necessary to maintain such a costly development.  They need to be targeting young professionals who have the means and interest to live in such a place.

Not to mention, this whole overuse of "village" in the names of developments is a bit absurd.  While Aksarben Village is somewhat appropriate (though something like Aksarbenville sounds cooler to me), Village Pointe is a misnomer from the word go.  University Village at Crossroads, on the other hand, is beyond pathetic.
joeglow wrote:I am still excited about this development that is a LOOOOOOOOONG time coming.  However, I am even more excited about this hopefully leading to further development around it.   Dodge looks like |expletive| from 68th to 90th and 72nd looks like |expletive| from Pacific to Cass.
I'm really excited for this, too.  For such a high profile corridor, it has seen its potential wasted over the past few decades.

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:05 pm
by StreetsOfOmaha
Omaja, I completely agree about the overuse of "village". It is really lame and really pathetic sounding these days. It easily could and should just continue to be called "Crossroads". That, as you said, is the perfect name for a neighborhood at that location.

OmahaJaysCU, as for the visibility of Target, that's what having a sign near the street is for. Do you really think the majority of people who go to Target just happen to be driving by and go "Oh, hey, there's a Target! I think I'll pop in." No. It's the only Target serving the densest parts of Omaha. I don't think they would lose customers over it.

And frankly, I bet that for all the drivers who don't see Target (again, of course there would be signs near the street...duh), target would recupe that and then some with all the foot traffic this project will generate.

Brad: you, just like S33, are assuming that by "developing the lots" I am saying "eliminate all parking". How many times will I have to say this? Seriously. Go back and look at any of my posts. You are both putting words in my mouth based on your assumptions about me.

Linkin5, what are you even talking about? Seriously, that comment seems really out of nowhere.

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:46 pm
by OmahaJaysCU
StreetsOfOmaha wrote: OmahaJaysCU, as for the visibility of Target, that's what having a sign near the street is for. Do you really think the majority of people who go to Target just happen to be driving by and go "Oh, hey, there's a Target! I think I'll pop in." No. It's the only Target serving the densest parts of Omaha. I don't think they would lose customers over it.
I'm not saying I do.  Target sure as heck does though.

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:53 pm
by iamjacobm
If it ends up even close to Gateway that would be fantastic.  Gateway includes a 12 story condo tower and 8 story office tower.  While those don't seem like part of the initial plan there is room to have some height eventually.

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:58 am
by mcarch
iamjacobm wrote:If it ends up even close to Gateway that would be fantastic.  Gateway includes a 12 story condo tower and 8 story office tower.  While those don't seem like part of the initial plan there is room to have some height eventually.
We should not use "eventually" because it will never happen if it doesn't happen right from the start.

It SHOULD end up like Gateway!  From the plans Omaha by Design put out a couple of years ago something like Gateway should be in the plan!

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:36 am
by 2Adam29
Target will definitely leave their lot AS IS. While they may make minor changes to allow the lot to flow with the road patterns of the new development, they will not create a parking structure for a number of reasons...
  • It would block the building from view from the intersection, and believe it or not, PLENTY of people see the Target from the street and stop in as a result.

    It would be much more difficult to secure from a security standpoint. (requiring cameras on every level of the structure, rather than cameras of the lot at large)

    It is more difficult to retrieve shopping carts (electric cart pusher cannot push carts downhill)

    The lot is currently large enough to serve the store without the mall structure behind the store. Target built the store to be entirely self-sustainable, foreseeing a possible mall-closure.
now, this is not an official statement from Target Corp, but having worked for them for about 5-years, this is my opinion of what they would do.

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:32 am
by iamjacobm
After seeing the progress on the new dorms by Av(which look very cool btw).  I can't see "University Village" being the big college draw for the area.  Hopefully the developers have ways to appeal to a wider audience b/c AV is where the college kids will be hanging out.  Its a 2 minute walk from most of their front door.

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:43 pm
by StreetsOfOmaha
I completely agree, iamjacobm. For that reason, I hope the developers drop the "University Village" moniker.

I can't wait for them to launch a website and/or release more detailed plans and renderings!

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:48 pm
by JPenny
iamjacobm
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:32 am    Post subject:
After seeing the progress on the new dorms by Av(which look very cool btw).  I can't see "University Village" being the big college draw for the area.  Hopefully the developers have ways to appeal to a wider audience b/c AV is where the college kids will be hanging out.  Its a 2 minute walk from most of their front door.
Being a student at UNO I agree and disagree with you.  I also think it isn't the best move to have crossroads centered around only college students. I think it would make more sense to market it to young professionals and college students. (say 18-30 year olds)  Even though A/V is right next to south campus it seems to be centered towards an older crowd.  I can't afford to go most of the business there let alone afford any of the apartments.  i have friends that do live and hang out there all the time but they aren't paying for it their parents are...

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:13 pm
by iamjacobm
JPenny wrote:
iamjacobm
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:32 am    Post subject:
After seeing the progress on the new dorms by Av(which look very cool btw).  I can't see "University Village" being the big college draw for the area.  Hopefully the developers have ways to appeal to a wider audience b/c AV is where the college kids will be hanging out.  Its a 2 minute walk from most of their front door.
Being a student at UNO I agree and disagree with you.  I also think it isn't the best move to have crossroads centered around only college students. I think it would make more sense to market it to young professionals and college students. (say 18-30 year olds)  Even though A/V is right next to south campus it seems to be centered towards an older crowd.  I can't afford to go most of the business there let alone afford any of the apartments.  i have friends that do live and hang out there all the time but they aren't paying for it their parents are...
By no means am I expecting Aksarben to be like O street in Lincoln or anything, but it has a lot of things for a college kid to do.  Movies, Juice Stop/Jones Bros, Godfathers.  Once another phase gets finished another bar or two is likely for nightlife.  

Not to say University Village won't be a great place to hang out b/c it will be, but for me at least A/V will be more college friendly than University Village will end up being.  Especially b/c University Village is still hoping to be a destination shopping area.  Not many college kids hang out at the mall.

At least for me I am far more likely to hang out at Stinson Park with a Juice Stop smoothie than next to a Target and Sears, but that's just me.

Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 8:12 am
by nativeomahan
As luck would have it, a defendant I had in court yesterday was trying to convince the judge to let him out of jail.  She wanted to know if he had a job.  He worked in the construction industry, but had been off work since, well, since his DUI and domestic assault arrest last year.  Anyway, he stated that "They are gonna start hiring in March for a giant construction project at Crossroads."

Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 8:26 am
by Brad
nativeomahan wrote:As luck would have it, a defendant I had in court yesterday was trying to convince the judge to let him out of jail.  She wanted to know if he had a job.  He worked in the construction industry, but had been off work since, well, since his DUI and domestic assault arrest last year.  Anyway, he stated that "They are gonna start hiring in March for a giant construction project at Crossroads."
Did he have a really bad comb-over and say the "F" word a lot and talk about the boat he races on the river from the Anchor Inn to Harras?

Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 10:50 am
by S33
Brad wrote: Did he have a really bad comb-over and say the "F" word a lot and talk about the boat he races on the river from the Anchor Inn to Harras?
You must know my uncle Mike. Did he have a starter-mullet in the back, too?

Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:28 pm
by thenewguy
9 dead malls that thrive in the afterlife
Some shopping malls have lost sales to the Internet. Others have fallen victim to changing demographics and a recession that took the zing out of retail. The result is a lot of empty, underperforming and dead malls.

This isn't all bad news, though. As retail malls wear out their original usefulness, urban planners are finding new opportunities. They are using the infrastructure in place at dead-mall sites to build new communities. In some quarters, this retrofitting is hailed as "green urbanization" because it often takes advantage of the current lay of the land without clearing trees.

Some malls are being born again as bona fide downtowns with vibrant residential communities, while others are reverting to open spaces surrounding new, environmentally friendly homes.

Here are nine dead malls that have lived on in various ways.

http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.asp ... &Gt1=35006


Good ideas for crossroads, should the university village not pan out.

Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 9:07 pm
by StreetsOfOmaha
Sounds like a description of exactly the "before and after" renderings I posted in the Oakview Mall discussion.

What's happening at Crossroads is precisely the first step toward turning the former suburban, auto-oriented mall into a mixed-use, walkable urban center.

I'd also say it's only a matter of time before Village Pointe, Westroads, and Shadow Lake all add residential components.

Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 4:26 pm
by S33
StreetsOfOmaha wrote: I'd also say it's only a matter of time before Village Pointe, Westroads, and Shadow Lake all add residential components.
Just imagine if they would allow people to live inside the stores, I bet sales would sore through the roof.